Women's Rights

Kay Eady, Community-Based Researcher, Baker County:

Do I go to the doctor or do I buy groceries? You shouldn’t have to make that kind of decision. 

Olivia Coley-Pearson, Community-Based Researcher, Coffee County:

Black women are being left out of healthcare infrastructure and resources. African American women are twice as likely to die from cervical cancer, as opposed to white women. To find out these alarming numbers about Black women dying from something that is preventable, is very disturbing.

Community-Based Researchers:

Hi. How’s everybody doing?

Kay Eady, Community-Based Researcher, Baker County:

When approached about becoming a community-based researcher, I just knew I was going to be asking questions and surveys to women in the community about cervical cancer issues and health issues.

So, when I heard about the barriers of transportation, health care and finances, I must admit I was a little shocked.

Teretha White, Research Participant, Baker County Resident:

The health insurance I applied for was like over $200 [a month] and that’s just too much.

I can’t afford, how would I live? A lot of times, you know, I don't go to the doctor because then if I did come down with something, I wouldn’t be able to treat it. So, I just don’t go.

Kay Eady, Community-Based Researcher, Baker County:

Baker County is located in southwest Georgia, away from Interstate 75. in southwest Georgia, away from Interstate 75. So, there’s not a lot of industry or trade or anything there.

It has a community of individuals that are supportive of each other. Unfortunately, it's an area dominated by poverty. The income is low. There are not really any jobs within Baker County.

Sometimes the health center only has one physician to see all of the patients. There is not a regular OB-GYN in Baker County.

Janet Anderson, Nurse, Baker County Primary Health Care:

When we talk about reproductive cancer, when you reach a certain age, making sure that you get your mammograms, your Paps, all of that should be done.

But if you don’t have health insurance, nobody’s going to do it for you.

If you don't get the health care you need for one problem, it could lead to another problem.

I've seen this happen with a patient. She was turned down for Medicare or Medicaid. She didn't get the health care that she needed. I think she may have lasted maybe two or three years [and] passed away. And that's the kind of stuff that really just bothers me.

Olivia Coley-Pearson, Community-Based Researcher, Coffee County:

Based upon the research that we conducted, Black women in Georgia are more apt to be diagnosed with cervical cancer in the later stages because they have not received preventive treatment.

And we found out that the majority are not aware that there is the HPV vaccine, which would actually prevent cervical cancer.

Most of them are not informed by their doctors. What do you do if you feel that you're being discriminated against where you feel that you were not given the information you should have been given because you're Black or because you're low-income?

That's a great barrier and it has a traumatic effect on Black women in rural communities.

Kay Eady, Community-Based Researcher, Baker County:

Coming up with resolutions at the grassroot level is key in any community because everybody in that community knows everyone, especially when you're talking about a community as small as Baker.

Grace Miller, Baker County Resident:

We need to have some programs to educate the women about how to take care of their body, how to go to the doctor and get themselves seen about it. Because one thing about it, cancer don’t care who it is.

Kay Eady, Community-Based Researcher:

It doesn’t care. 

Grace Miller, Baker County Resident:

You’ve got to keep yourself checked. 

Olivia Coley-Pearson, Community-Based Researcher, Coffee County:

On the federal level, we need to have more accountability. So, the government's responsibility is to make sure that all women, regardless of their socioeconomic status, are afforded resources and solutions. 

Kay Eady, Community-Based Researcher, Baker County:

Shouldn’t have a high incidence of cervical cancer.  It’s one of the few diseases that we have that can be eradicated. I strongly believe in you take care of the people that need it most. We cannot afford to repeat the cycle of cervical cancer. 

“Grace”, Survivor:

He (my husband) used to take advantage during the lockdown, because he knew I couldn’t go anywhere.

He beat me up so badly, something he was used to doing. That day I thought he was going to severely hurt me, because he kept saying he’ll kill me one day.

Nereah Akoth, Counselor, Center for Rights Education and Awareness (CREAW):

Gender-based violence has become a national disaster in this nation and therefore, it needs to be dealt with as a national disaster.

Nairobi, Kenya

Nereah Akoth, Counselor, Center for Rights Education and Awareness (CREAW):

When COVID came, it came with that component of social distance.

If you are in a situation where the husband is the one who is working, now, he uses the power

which is having the money to now manipulate or abuse this other person.

So home became a danger in the sense that you are forced in one way or the other to be with the perpetrator, with limited options.

The Kenyan government should ensure women and girls at risk of gender-based violence have access to adequate medical and mental health services, safe spaces, financial support and justice.  

This is particularly critical during pandemic-related lockdowns. 

Nereah Akoth, Counselor, Center for Rights Education and Awareness (CREAW):

We were supporting so many clients who were going through GBV [gender-based violence].

We are now having around 1,500 cases. That's already triple the number compared to 2019.

Shelters were overwhelmed because of lack of resources. They are understaffed.

Trans Mara East, Kenya

In 2020, Gladys Koskey received a call from the police about a child who had been abused.

Gladys Koskey, Community Activist:

The child is small, the mother is sick in the hospital and they are poor. The police asked Gladys to care for the child.

Nereah Akoth, Counselor, Center for Rights Education and Awareness (CREAW):

The community activists, they become the first responder. And then now that also raises issues of child protection, how safe is this child with this, with this activist? Because probably they are not trained in issues of protection.

But even if they are trained, they need extra support because you find out that they rescue using their own finances.

Gladys Koskey, Community Activist:

When she was brought to me, her condition was not good, she could not walk. She was afraid to go out and play because she did not have the strength to walk. What really helped the girl was talking to her and counseling. It took her about two months to recover. She then started going out to play with the neighbors.

The government has never given me anything. They just ask me to live with the child as my own, as they sort out the case. I volunteer to take care of these children because if I don’t, they will be oppressed.

Nereah Akoth, Counselor, Center for Rights Education and Awareness (CREAW):

It's the government's responsibility to take care of its people.

Violence has a way of affecting somebody's mental well-being to a point of sometimes even making smaller decisions becomes very difficult.

So, by the time a woman is deciding to come out of an abusive relationship, there needs to be a lot of support.

“Grace”, Survivor:

I made a decision to leave. I went to the hospital and then went directly to the police station. I used to live a life of fear. At least here, I’m able to relax. The counselor comes to talk with me.

Trans Mara East, Kenya

Gladys Koskey, Community Activist:

We went to the Chief, because we refused to see our fellow women being battered. We said we want to go around teaching and sensitizing our women (to the problem).

Those in government, all they do is talk. We want the government to intervene because personally, it’s overwhelming.

The Department of Children Services should set up a child  protection referral system, with adequate monitoring and  support for community organizations, extended family or foster families when children are placed in their care. 

Community activists like Gladys who foster survivors, should be equipped with the skills and tools, including financial support, to provide these services.